A direct passenger rail link between Bulgaria’s capital Sofia and Thessaloniki in Northern Greece is set to resume next year after a nine-year interruption, restoring a strategic cross-border connection that is expected to boost tourism, trade, and regional mobility across Southeast Europe.
Last operated in 2017, the route will also serve as a cornerstone of a broader effort to establish a continuous north–south rail corridor connecting the Danube region with the Aegean coast. The same initiative also aims to create a wider transport spine stretching from the Black Sea to the Aegean, improving both passenger travel and freight capacity across the region.
Joint upgrade of the Sofia – Thessaloniki regional rail corridor
Officials from Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania have agreed to jointly seek European funding to modernize the railway axis linking Thessaloniki, Sofia, and Bucharest. Their aim is to synchronize planning, permitting, and construction so the corridor can become fully operational without fragmented timelines or administrative bottlenecks.
Representatives of the European Commission indicated that projects ready for implementation by 2030 could qualify for financial support under EU transport funding instruments, provided applications are submitted by mid-September 2026.
Focus on new Danube crossings
One of Bulgaria’s top priorities is the construction of a third bridge over the Danube between Ruse and Giurgiu. Authorities aim to move the project beyond the study phase into concrete preparation for construction. At the same time, renovation of the existing Danube Bridge is scheduled for completion by June, alongside the technical design needed to electrify the rail section.
Electrifying the 11-kilometer (6.8-mile) stretch from the Ruse marshalling yard to the midpoint of the bridge would enable uninterrupted electric rail traffic between the two countries and could reduce freight transport costs by around 30 percent.
Нов висококачествен пътнически ЖП транспорт между #Солун и #София ще свързва двете страни от 2027 г., заяви алтернативният министър на транспорта на Гърция Киранакис pic.twitter.com/6BHgU21Plm
— Българска телеграфна агенция (@BTAnewsBG) January 30, 2026
Wider network expansion plans
Additional cross-border projects under discussion include new Danube bridges linking Nikopol with Turnu Măgurele and Silistra with Călărași, as well as the reactivation of the Ruse–Giurgiu ferry line to provide an alternative river crossing.
Further south, planners have highlighted the strategic importance of upgrading the rail corridor running from Svilengrad through Plovdiv and Stara Zagora to Ruse, including construction of a new tunnel beneath the Balkan Mountains to boost speed and capacity.
Broad international backing for the Sofia – Thessaloniki rail link
The meeting in Sofia brought together transport officials from the three countries along with experts from the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Greek and Romanian representatives voiced support for Bulgaria’s priorities, stressing that coordinated cross-border investment is essential to make the north–south corridor commercially viable. If funding and coordination move forward on schedule, the reopening of the Sofia–Thessaloniki rail link could become the first tangible step in a broader transformation of transport connections between the Danube basin and the Aegean coast.
